queensquare

Hi Alex, Larkrail is booked for Saturday 13 July by which time it will have stopped raining and the sun will be out! We will be starting a new thread soon, Jerry

Great work Bob. I’d be interested in how you make your whistles, I always have trouble with these - I get close then they ping off, never to be seen again! Jerry

don’t know what part of the country you are in but the 2mm Roadshow and a demo will be at Southampton 26/27 Jan. I’m taking WilliamSmith’s Wharf which at 2’ long and with just two points is perfect for those that fancy dipping their toes into 2mm waters to see if they like it. Latest generation N gauge wagons and vans look excellent with replacement wheels though the biggest improvement is getting rid of the awful N gauge coupling and the great big box it sits in. Jerry

Brilliant, I’ve been known to do something similar at the other end of the line! Jerry

…. and a very merry Christmas to you as well Jim. Im one of the lucky ones who has taken up some of your time this year, the windows you did for Bath S&D shed are superb although Kim said the shed is too big for me to work on over Christmas at my little card table bench in the front room so it will have to wait until the new year! Jerry

Thanks for the link Nick. I’ve only put stay alive in two locos so far but both have used 2 x 470uF tantalum’s and the transformation in running is like night and day - even though both already ran well. It’s the eradication of the occasional slight hesitation that is so satisfying. it will be planned into all new builds and I will also be retro fitting where possible. Jerry

Windsor Hill Tunnels high on the Mendip ridge to Combe Down on the southern edge of the Cotswolds - all in less than half a scale mile! The basic Windsor Hill extension is now pretty much roughed out. I will add the new backscene and ballast the track before moving on but won’t work up the scenery until I’m ready to go all the way to Bath junction so that I can get some sort of consistency of colour and texture. Next job will be the Midland mainline up to Bath junction then on toward the station - lots of point mechanisms and wiring to come in the spring - my favourite!! Jerry

I'm inclined to agree with you John although the new Windsor Hill extension is meant to be several miles south of the colliery. Jerry

Anyway, in full festive mode, I’ve been down the workshop playing trains with my top team - great fun!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

With you now Rich. Still mulling over what to do with it - if anything! Jerry

?? The entrance is at the far end, I purposely didn’t put one anywhere else because of the way they are perched above the lane. Jerry

Where’s the groan button!😊 Jerry

His Bobness. You can go off people you know! 😊 Jerry

Spellcheck !! - although we did once do Subterranean Homesick Blues - proto rapping! We are on YouTube - blues and Americana but no rapping! Jerry

I was sent to the workshop for a couple of hours this evening as kim had wrapping to do so I thought I’d knock up some puddin’ and bed in the cottages. The puddin’ consists of sculptamold mixed with water, pva and a squirt of paint to give a colour that can only be described sludge! Before spreading the mixture around I slipped some shiny plasticard between the boards so that I could take them apart should the need ever arise. The cottages, which straddle the join, are removable. I’m still undecided about the rather nice plaster cast thatched cottage. Tomorrow I’m charged with entertaining our two grandsons in the workshop whilst kim and our daughters prep our big family meal - the only day of the year I don’t do the cooking! Expect some high speed running on the N gauge roundy, roundy - what fun !! Jerry

I think there are many Eds on RMWeb!😊 Jerry

A superb issue in my oppinion, PK has put together a cracking collection of articles. My particular favourite is Chris Cox’s London and Croydon Railway No5. It’s also great to see Chris Pendlenton back. Regarding the perceived cliquey nature of contributors and dearth of post steam content I can honestly say that, as a regular guest editor, it’s not for the want of trying. My last issue had a piece on putting together a representative stud of East Anglian diesels and I have two articles on OHE locos in the pipeline. That said, finding D&E content of a suitable quality that contains a degree of modelling and is not just a collection of nicely assembled RTR (not that theirs anything wrong with that I hasten to add), is difficult. I’ve approached a number of potential contributors but all too often, despite their promises, they fail to come up with the goods. We would be more than happy to publish material from immediate post steam to the contemporary scene if we are sent it. If any readers of this have something they think is suitable I can be contacted via pm. Jerry

Im another big fan of Ed Reardons Week, still mourning the loss of Elgar! Ed Reardon would definitely be someone worth following on RMWeb - not sure how long he would last! 😊 Jerry

Great progress Jim, I’ve sent you an email. Jerry

Its a pretty good list. We always have pork for Christmas, I could do with a new barrow, I always have a bath at Christmas whether I need one or not and who doesn’t love a new bike!! 😊 Jerry

Pigs, barrow, bath and bike - I think that will do! This has been a really enjoyable little fireside project. Hopefully I’ll find time over Christmas to work up the ground around it. Jerry

Bit small to worry about in 2mm! We have chickens so almost certainly have rats though I never see them - except the remains of an occasional dead one. I suspect our two cats and the numerous other cats belonging to our neighbours keep things under control! Living in a rural area I’m not too bothered about rats, they perform a very useful function clearing up the mess we humans leave behind! I have a couple of rabbits on the colliery Tim. Kim used to complain that the uncoupling magnets weren’t marked - you had to remember where they were - so I added a couple of rabbits, their little white tails being just about sufficiently visible! 😊 Jerry

Bit of gardening in front of MOTD this evening. Veg, pigeons and chickens - bit more to do. Still like the idea of a pig in the far cottage! Jerry

All of the above! The two plate layers huts are really nice little etches from Severn models, the others are a combination of some resin castings I picked up in a rummage box - unknown origin - and plasticard. With 20’ x 10’ to fill they’ll all find a home! Jerry

….and here they are in situ. The aluminium angle to the left of them is where the old loaded/empty cassettes docked on the colliery. These will go but not sure what’s going in that space yet. I have a good selection of small buildings to choose from. This batch includes a couple of plate layers huts but also sheds, thunder boxes, a pigeon coop and some beehives. A lot of miners kept a pig so that’s another possibility. I want it to be interesting without being twee! Jerry